Sexual Violence and the Workplace: Information for Advocates

Sexual violence impacts survivors in many different ways. Some survivors may not recognize their employment or economic security is related to their experiences of sexual violence. This section provides advocates resources on how to connect a survivors sexual violence to workplace problems or economic insecurity, and the legal rights of survivors related to employment. The resources below provide advocates with information on connecting survivors to benefits that may assist them financially.

Assisting Survivors

Sexual Violence & The Workplace: An Advocates Guide to Prevention (16 p.) by NSVRC (2013). Sexual violence permeates our society, including the workplace. Using the Spectrum of prevention this technical assistance guide provides advocates with information about the connections between sexual violence and employment and to offer possible prevention strategies.

Sexual Violence & the Workplace: Bulletin (8 p.) by National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2013). This bulletin provides sexual assault counselors and advocates with information and tools to help survivors identify how their sexual violence experiences could impact their employment and how to respond to their workplace needs.

Sexual Violence and the Workplace: Making the Connections (webinar recording) by National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2013). This webinar recording was presented by Mandy Mundy from NOVA, Jessie Mindlin from Victim Rights Law Center, and Maya Raghu from Futures Without Violence. It highlights how advocates and preventionists can work with employers around this issue, legal issues surrounding sexual violence and the workplace, and working with labor unions and larger systems change.

Survivor’s Legal Options

Sexual Harassment At Work (4 p.) by Equal Rights Advocates (2013). This factsheet provides information on what sexual harassment is and survivors legal rights if they are experiencing sexual harassment at work. The factsheet is also available in Spanish.

Economic Security

Sexual Violence & Economic Security: Overview of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (24 p.) by NSVRC (2013). Sexual violence and economic insecurity are linked. Poverty and unemployment are risk factors for perpetration and victimization of sexual violence. Sexual violence and economic insecurity are intricately linked. This guide is to support advocates in connecting survivors to the Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Program and ensuring that the TANF program is responsive to the needs of sexual violence victims.

Not Enough: What TANF Offers Family Violence Victims ( 39 p.) by Legal Momentum and National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (2010). This report discusses what TANF is, and what the Family Violence Option is, and how it may be an important and necessary resource for many sexual assault survivors.

Additional Resources for Advocates

Sexual Violence & The Workplace: Resource List (4 p.) by NSVRC (2013). Advocates can use the resources in this document with working with employers to improve workplace prevention and response to sexual violence. These resources can be shared with employers to help inform their policies.

This site is supported by Grant/ Cooperative Agreement No. 1UF2CE002359-02 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.